Easter luncheon at York City church serves more than 200

Sarah Gleba, 8, of Spring Garden Township serves cake as St.. John the Baptist Episcopal Church provides a free Easter dinner to the community Sunday. John A. Pavoncello - jpavoncello@yorkdispatch.com

With a broken stove, oven and microwave at home, Maryann Furst of York City was happy to have a complete meal for herself and her children on Easter Sunday.

For the first time, the Furst family visited St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church's annual Easter Luncheon, which feeds more than 200 people each year in the city.

The food — ham, sweet potatoes, broccoli casserole and dessert — was very good, Furst said, and she got to spend time with her family, as well. The food and service was entirely donated.

Easter eats: The luncheon began at least seven years ago with the goal of serving policemen, firemen and those in need, said parishioner Grant Froman, who served as chef on Sunday.

At the start of this year's event, the line for food ran out the door and almost reached the street, he said.

The church fed about 180 people during the luncheon, Froman said. It also gave 25 meals each to 911 dispatchers and the York City Fire Department because the emergency responders couldn't be home with their families for the holiday, Froman said.

This year, volunteers cooked and carved 18 hams, which were gobbled up in about an hour, he said.

Chuck Shandry of York City said he's been coming to the luncheons since the year they started.

"The meals are good," he said. "It's filling, it's nice — you've got all people from all walks of life."

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And those who missed this year's event shouldn't worry, as "it's going to be bigger and bigger every year," Froman said.

Giving back: In an "all-about-me society," using your time and talents to help is what Christians are supposed to do, he said.

In celebrating Easter, it's important to help those who are less fortunate and give back to the community, he said.

And helping out brings its own rewards: Last year, people even thanked Froman personally, saying they wouldn't have had a good meal otherwise, he said.

"To me, it's rewarding," Froman said.

And the special Sunday should be shared with the ones you love, he said.